“Should I mention my side hustle during the interview?” - A common question asked by many job seekers deciding how to leverage each piece of their experience when talking to a hiring manager. Truth is, the main thing on your mind when walking into an interview is how to “wow” the company with your professional skills, while translating all of the words on your resume into why you should be the leading candidate for this role. Most of the information listed on resumes is everything that person accomplished at a 9-5 job, but, sometimes, the expertise needed most for your next big break is found in your side gig. To avoid discounting these talents, here is how to sell your side hustle and successfully connect it to the bigger picture.

As of 2017, the percentage of gig workers, also known as short-term contractors, increased to 31% from the previous 29% noted in 2015. At the end of 2017, roughly 126 million people in the United States were employed full-time, making 48 million of those individuals independent employees and generating $864 million in revenue. Simply put, the gig economy is rapidly growing throughout the nation and changing the operation and expectation of businesses and consumers alike.

Millennials and now Gen Z are the face of young professional talent and the future of business in more ways than one. As the older generation begins entering retirement, positions are opening for younger generations to hold more responsibility and bring new ideas to the table across almost every industry. However, it’s no secret that the younger generation is perceived differently - Growing up in the age of technology and progressing with its advances, they have shifted their focus much more toward innovation than tradition. Due to this, along with millennials and Gen Z’s come many preconceived ideas about this group as a whole. In order to get past these perceptions about their unconventional contributions to the workplace, it is important for managers to understand these young professionals to properly lead them. Here are things senior, and typically more tenured, managers can consider when connecting with these younger generations, ultimately leading both groups to achieve better results.

Dear exhausted-busy-parents,
It’s hard. Raising a human (or multiple humans) seems like an insurmountable task, mostly because it cannot be done in just one sitting AND you have to do it while tackling your job and your personal physical and mental health.

Throughout the years, it has become more and more apparent that working a 9-5 job is no longer the norm, and traditional careers and culture becoming a thing of the past. Aspects like working from home part time and remote positions have become common over the past decades, but what has recently increased is the desire for a side hustle - A mindset that has become favored by seasoned workers and young professionals alike.